


The Deluge

by Cali_se



Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Endeavour comforts Fred, Friendship/Love, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 05:12:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7495173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cali_se/pseuds/Cali_se
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Fred had never really considered a life without Win... </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Deluge

**Author's Note:**

> It's another ficlet about Endeavour and Fred. Sad and angsty, but hopefully with comfort too.
> 
> If you're a fan of Endeavour, come and join us at [all_endeavour](http://all_endeavour.livejournal.com)

Fred had never really considered a life without Win, because he never thought there would ever _be_ a life without Win. Thought he'd go first, or they'd go together... Never imagined he'd be sitting in a hospital room being told the news that he was now a widower. 

It took the wind out of his sails, knocked him for six. Day upon day, he could hardly function beyond the necessary (the necessary being a brave face for the sake of the family) and after the funeral, he threw himself into work, his pain and tears like a raging river held back by a flimsy dam. He knew one day that dam would burst, and hoped to god he'd be well out of it when that day dawned. Not in front of the kids, and certainly not in front of the men. That would just never do, and that was all there was to it. No, he'd do his grieving, and his crying, right out of the way thanks all the same. 

He avoided Morse most of all during those desperately lonely weeks, keeping everything on a level he could just about cope with, resisting the urge to reach out to the lad. He resisted it because he knew only too well that he would keep on reaching, allowing Morse into his very depths, because it was precisely what he longed to do - always had been, if he was honest; the urge ran through his veins and sat in his bones. Determined to keep all that at bay, Fred made up his mind to cope with the need to be consoled and comforted by keeping the very person he wanted near him at arm's length. Every day he saw the confusion and hurt in Endeavour's eyes, and every day he told himself that he’d thank him for it in the end. 

The deluge, when at last it hit, came out of the blue, as Fred sat alone in the office one late night, working on a case that had raised his hackles from the start. It was something strangely insignificant that started him off, as he picked up his pipe and took five: a passing thought about something seemingly long buried. And then, suddenly, there it was: a sob caught in his throat, and his chest felt as if it were being crushed by an invisible force. He put down his pipe and turned his face away from the deserted office and let the tears come. 

He didn't hear the door open, or the softly falling footsteps approaching. But he did hear the familiar voice: gentle, kind, so desperately needed. "Sir?"

Fred didn't turn around at first, just took a deep shuddering breath to steady himself before he spoke. 

"What’re you doing here at this time, Morse?"

"I came here to find _you_. Are you all right? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Fred half turned then, allowing Morse to enter his field of vision. Concern etched itself across Endeavour’s earnest features. He was so utterly beautiful. Fred turned his face away again, unable to bear it; his tears welled up again, and he succumbed once more. In a few short strides, Morse was by his side. Fred began to recoil, but the young man's hand was already on his shoulder, its touch a tender curse, a painful pleasure that Fred could no longer resist. 

"I'm sorry..." he said. "All out of sorts... Can't seem to--" And then it came again, that huge swell of emotion, taking his breath away. 

As he looked into Morse's eyes, Fred found them brimming with tenderness. Suddenly he didn't care one jot that he was baring his soul to another man, he just gave in and allowed it happen. With cheeks wet with freshly falling tears, he fell willingly and gratefully into Endeavour's waiting arms.

***

A sequel/companion can be found here if you fancy it: [Before the Storm](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8470057)


End file.
